Railroad-crossing



(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1.

J. G. GOULTER.

- RAILROAD CROSSING.

No. 290,541. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

(No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 2.

' J.'O.'GOULTER.

RAILROAD CROSSING; v 7 No. 290,541. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

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JOHN G. COULTEB, OF OHESTERTON, INDIANA.

RAlLROAD-CROSSlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,541, dated December 18, 1888.

Application filed July 27, 1883.

To all whom, it iota/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. OOULTER, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Chesterton, in the county of Porter and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Orossings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to crossings for enabling the track of one railroad to be extended at any angle across the track of another, so that trains may travel freely on both roads.

The object of the invention is to enable a railroad company to extend its track across a previously-constructed road without interfering therewith, and also to dispense with the heretofore-used cumbrous, expensive, and rough frog-crossings, which occasion a deleterious jarring and strain of the cars on both of two crossing roads.

My invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts for accomplishing the objects stated, and will be fully understood from the following particular description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of portions of two intersecting railroads, one of which is provided with a crossing constructed according to my invention, the crossing being closed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, with the crossing closed. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the foundation or bed of the turntable. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the turntable. Fig. 5 is a section of the turn-table and covering-plate on line a: o: of Fig. 2.

The letter A indicates a railroad-track running in direction at right angles with another track,B, and provided with aorossingaccording to my invention, by which it is carried across said track B without interfering with the same by using the old-fashioned frog-crossing. The

track A, or, at least, that portion of it adjacent on both sides to the track B, is laid upon a level coincident with the tops of the rails of the latter track, and is provided with a swing- (No model.)

ing section, 0, which may be turned across the track A, or away therefrom, as desired.

The rails c c of the swinging section are at about mid-length firmly attached to a turntable, D, and on each side of this turn-table are firmly connected by cross-bars c e e c. This turntable turns upon a foundation or bed, F,

located at one side of the track A, between two sleepers, g g, laid parallel to track 13 and the cross-ties of track A, said sleepers being intended to support the rails of the swinging section when said section is opened or turned away from the track B and out of line with the 6 5 track A. The track A, it will be observed, approaches quite close to the track B on the opposite side of said track from the turn-table, so that said track supports one end of the swinging section when the same is closed. The

bed or foundation F of the turn-table is preferably an iron casting, circular in shape, and has two edges let into the sleepers, while in termediately it rests upon a firmly-fixed beam,

g, being let into the same, and provided with 7 5 lugs 71 h, as braces against the opposite sides of said beam.

From the center of the bed F projects a pivot-pin, i, which passes through a central bearing, (2, formed for it in the turntable, and

on opposite sides of said pin the bed is provided with segmental inclined ribs, K K, which, when the swinging section 0 is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, project through segmental slotsl Z in the turn-table, in order that said turn-table may rest solidly upon the bed, and the rails of the swinging section may come down snugly upon the cross-ties and track 13. Y'Vhen, however, the swinging section is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow, the go turn-table rides up on these inclined ribs,and is thus lifted clear of the tics and the rails of track B, so that it may swing freely and with out wearing the rails or ties. At the ends of rails, on opposite sides of track A, are ,ar- 5 ranged clips m m, which receive the flanges of rails of the swinging section, and serve as stops to arrest the movement of said section when it comes properly into line with the track. Similar clips, m m, may also be ar-"ioo of opposite rails of said section, and provide suitable guides, 0, for said rods near the outer ends of the rails, so that they will beheld properly in place and guided behind pins or lugs q, projecting from the bases of two of the stationary rails of track A, as shown in Fig. 1.

The inner ends of these locking-rods are connected to small cranks formed on the opposite projecting ends of atransverse shaft, R, which has its bearings in apertures formed through the Webs of the two opposite rails of the swinging section. The shaft R is provided with an operating lever or handle, 1', by which said shaft may be turned to project or withdraw the-locking-rods, as desired. When the swinging section is turned into line across the track B, the handle r should be turned to pro ject the ends of the locking-rods behind the pins or lugs q, and thus hold the swinging section safely in line while trains are crossing track 13, and when the swinging section is to be opened the locking-rods must of course be drawn inward out of engagement with the lugs.

In order to turn the swinging section I use, preferably, a turning-bar, S, one end of which fits in a socket or shoe, t, arranged to receive it upon one of the cross-bars which connects the two rails of the swinging section.

In order to prevent the turn-table from being clogged by trash, snow, or ice,I provide it with a covering-plate, a, which fits between the rails of the swinging section, and has a central opening, through which passes the bearing 66. This covering-plate protects the slots in the turn-table, and the tubular bearingcl is closed at the top. and thus, also, the pivot-pin is inclosed, so that it and the bearing will not become clogged. I preferably form the turntable of boiler-iron, and may ing, the same as in the turntable heretofore described.

Having now described the construction and operation of my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the bed or foundation F, having the central pivot-pin and inclined ribs, of the turn-table provided with a bearing for said pin and slots to receive said ribs, and the swinging track-section secured to said turn-table, and adapted to be swung into or out of line with the permanent track, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the bed F, having the inclined ribs, and the turn-table having slots to receive said ribs, of the coveringplate u, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the bed F, having a central pivot-pin and inclined ribs, of the turn-table having the slots to receive said ribs, and the bearing having its upper end closed and the covering-plate arranged to .fit upon the turntable, and provided with a central opening to receive said bearing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. GOULTER.

\Vitnesses:

D. D. MARE, J. B. LUNDBERG. 

